> 3. The *single* serious argument against absolute music — that it requires
> extra typing [of apostrophes and commas] — is essentially eliminated by using
> an IDE like Frescobaldi: using MIDI input means I avoid typing note code
> (including octavation symbols) almost entirely, and the transposition
> functions let me instantaneously re-octavate large sections of code if that’s
> ever required (which it basically never is). I believe we should be
> encouraging users to use tools like Frescobaldi — because I believe their
> coding lives would be made easier in *so* many ways — and the “crutch” of
> \relative means there’s less incentive to do so in the early stages of the
> learning curve (which is exactly when habits, good or bad, tend to be formed).
I am a copyist, not a composer. I currently don’t have a MIDI keyboard. I
enter everything through Emacs without a mouse for pitch, therefore haven’t
considered tools like Frescobaldi so far.
I have been using \relative for many years and am aware of the problems.
Because of this discussion I have just started using \absolute for bass clef
parts and I just noticed \fixed which I will start experimenting with. Any
other suggestions for my situation as described above?
I will consider getting a small MIDI keyboard which would probably lead to
experimenting with Frescobaldi.
Thanks for any other thoughts.
>
> Making other people’s (especially newbies’) lives easier *is* ultimately what
> I’m trying to do.
Agreed!
Paul
